Perennial powers atop Daily Mail Pre-season Prep Poll

CHARLESTON – Martinsburg, Wayne and Wahama sit atop of the Daily Mail Pre-season prep poll for West Virginia as the start of the high school regular season is less than two weeks away.

Teams started their scrimmages this past weekend and most will be holding another exhibition game this weekend.

Martinsburg heads the Class AAA poll, followed by Morgantown, Capitol, Cabell-Midland and Huntington round out the top five. Martinsburg got nine first places votes, while Capital got the other nod for first place.

In Class AA, Cardinal Conference power Wayne, the two-time defending state champs, leads the way. Wayne got all of the 10 first place votes. The rest of the top five in Double A is Keyser, Bridgeport, Bluefield and Robert C. Byrd.

In Class A Wahama sits on top the small school poll. They are followed by Wheeling Central, Madonna (Weirton), Magnolia and Greenbrier West.

Locally, Mingo Central received one vote in AA, while Tug Valley did not receive any votes in Class A. Chapmanville; another Cardinal Conference opponent for the Miners is ranked No. 6, while Wyoming East comes in at No. 9. Scott is ranked No. 10, but Mingo Central won’t play that conference opponent until next season.

Tug Valley made the playoffs last season, but graduated many of their leaders on offense. They did not get any votes, but that can change as the season progresses.

This poll has nothing to do with the WVSSAC rating poll that decides the 16 playoff teams in each classification; however it does give coaches, players and fans fodder for argument.

The Charleston Daily Mail preseason high school football poll as voted on by West Virginia sportswriters, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2012 record, team’s final